A Very Secret Date
by corikane
Summary: Jane has a date - and her mother is not to know with whom. (Just fluff.)
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: _Rizzoli & Isles _don't belong to me. I simply borrowed them from the television show (not the books) to play with them a little. No copyright infringement intended.

* * *

Jane stuck her head around the corner to the Division Café and spotted her favorite medical examiner receiving a tall latte from Stanley. Jane's mother was nowhere in sight which was good, still, Jane hesitated. Would Maura like it? What if she didn't? She couldn't just go back and say: pin it back on! She could but it wouldn't do her any good, not even if she pulled her weapon on them... it might satisfy her to shoot the person who talked her into this but her hair would stay as it was: short.

Truth be told she herself kind of liked it, her head felt lighter and it wasn't as if it was very short, just chin-length. Was it too short? Jane tried to catch her reflection to assure herself but it was too late anyhow.

"Time to face the music, Rizzoli," she braced herself, then winced when she heard one of her colleagues call to her:

"Hey, Rizzoli, nice 'do'," he snickered.

"Yeah, thanks, Parker. Be sure to get one yourself, if you hair ever grows back," she threw back and he pulled a face. "No hair but a big mouth...," Jane mumbled and turned around back to Maura who had heard the exchange, of course, and had turned to greet her favorite homicide detective. She smiled.

"Hello, Jane," she greeted her friend and her smile grew even wider. It seemed she had some things to say to the detective but waited until Jane stood next to her at her table.

"Hey, Maur. What do you think?" Jane asked hesitantly.

"You look adorable," Maura answered and touched the short ends of Janes formerly long formerly unruly hair. It had been straightened and she knew that Jane wouldn't make such a fuss over it every morning. It looked good this way but the blonde could hardly wait to see it in its short unruly glory soon.

"Adorable?" Jane pulled a face, she didn't want to look adorable but it was better than horrible.

"And very sexy." This earned Maura a rakish grin.

"Thank you very much. I hope my date thinks so, too." Jane let her dimples show and Maura laughed.

"I bet your date will be deli..."

"Jane! Oh my god, what...?" It was Angela Rizzoli. She came over, the shock obviously showing on her face. Her little girl had cut her beautiful locks.

"Mom, it's just a hair cut, okay?" Jane rolled her eyes.

"But... your hair..." Angela made her sad mother's face and touched the short strands of her daughters hair.

"It will grow back, mom." Jane's voice turned whiney and she knew it but she couldn't bear seeing that sad face her mother made. Was there a daughter in the world who could?

"I think it looks gorgeous," Maura informed Angela. Her hand wandered back to Jane's hair, ruffling it slightly.

"Okay, enough with the touching," Jane said though she wasn't really annoyed. She was still smiling, especially after what Maura had just said.

"You're her friend, you have to say that," Angela informed Maura who opened her mouth to disagree when Jane asked:

"Did you just say it because you're... my friend?" Her dark eyes looked hurt but she wanted to give Maura the benefit of the doubt.

"Of course not. I said it because it's true. You look stunning, and very professional, and I may add feminine," the last one she threw in for Angela's benefit. She knew that the woman was always concerned about Jane's rather masculine demeanor. She saw Jane roll her eyes again but Angela turned to her.

"Do you really think so, Maura?"

"Absolutely. The shorter 'do' accentuates her high cheek bones, that's a very classical feminine look. If I had cheek bones like that I would wear my hair just like Jane does now," Maura exclaimed with conviction. Angela looked back at her daughter and her face brightened.

"I think you're right. It's just unfamiliar but it does look good. I hope your date will like it, Jane, although I am not to know if he does, of course, as you won't introduce him to me," a little pout appeared on Angela's face that had just been smiling at Jane for a second. It was strange that her mother could smile at Tommy a whole evening just because he was present but everything Jane did she took as a personal affront.

"It's our first date, mom. Introducing the parents would be a little tactless, don't you think?"

"Pshaw, with the way you date I may never get to know him," Angela answered her daughter whose eyes went round. Maura suppressed a grin.

"What is that supposed to mean, 'the way I date'? I just want to make sure the person is right for me before I introduce them to you and the boys."

"And me," Maura threw in as she saw herself as one of the Rizzoli-family but it only earned her a confused look from Jane.

"I am just saying, a mother likes to have a say when it comes to the man her daughter may be marrying." This comment earned her big-eyed stares from both the detective and the medical examiner.

"Marrying, mom, nobody has said anything about marrying... yet," Jane's look darted to Maura but she saw the same look of incredulity and awkwardness thrown back at her.

"It's just a date," Maura agreed.

"Alright, alright, but please make sure to introduce him to me before the nuptials, that's all I'm asking," Angela threw her hands in the air in defeat and returned to her work.

"Nuptials... one might think my mother is in a hurry to marry me off," Jane mumbled, blushing.

"And not every relationship, of course, culminates in a wedding. I know couples who are quite happily living together without a marriage certificate."

"Really?" Jane asked Maura. "I mean, you don't want to get married?" She sounded disappointed.

"I'm not saying that I don't want to but... I mean, not after a first date."

"Right. It's the first... I mean, it's MY first date." They nodded. "I have to go to upstairs, paper work."

"Yeah, me too, I mean, downstairs, paperwork." They looked a little unsure at each other. Maura tried a smile and her dimples showed. Jane's look melted and her chocolate brown eyes showed her affection.

"I'll see you later then." They walked to the elevators together and finally seperated to get to their respective work stations.

Later that day

Barry Frost left the elevator and walked into the Division Café where Angela just closed shop for the day. When she saw him, she smiled.

"I am sorry, Barry, but I am closed for the day."

"That's okay, I just wanted to see if you were still here. Jane left half an hour ago." He said and helped his partner's mother carry the stools to one side of the enclosed space of the precinct's hall that was the cafe.

"I know and she practically glowed," Angela giggled and the young African American laughed.

"I can't believe they actually think we're so blind," he shook his head in disbelieve.

"I know. But then it took Jane long enough to ask Maura out. If she knew we already all knew they would end up together, she just would have stayed miserable out of spite."

"That's so Jane." Angela sighed.

"It's a little exhausting to pretend, though. I hope they won't make a big secret out of it after this date." Angela rolled her eyes and Barry grinned.

"I can't wait to see their faces when they announce that they are dating and everybody's like: duh!" They laughed together.

"I don't know, I thought that maybe I will play surprised... I think that maybe I will get a couple of perks out of being a progressive and understanding mother." Barry contemplated that.

"That might be a good idea. Considering that I'm her partner and she hasn't even told me that she is going out with Dr. Isles... she deserves to suffer a little." He grinned. Angela nodded.

"All set?" Barry asked.

"Yeah, that's all for today. The next shift of madness begins Monday morning." Barry presented Angela with his arm and she took it, blushing slightly but laughing all the same.

"Thank you, detective Frost." Barry accompanied Angela to her car where they parted ways, Barry saying:

"I hope they have fun tonight, though." he smiled and so did Angela as she slipped into her car.

"Well, I know that I won't be waiting up for Maura."


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N: Several people have asked if I could continue this one-shot and write the actual date. Well, I'm not quite there yet; I wanted to have a little more of "mischievous Angela." But the date is definitely in the cards now.**

* * *

Angela was sitting on the couch in Maura's living room. She had a book in her lap but didn't really read it. It was a ploy, she wanted to see what Maura would be wearing for her date with Jane.

Ever since Angela had learned that her daughter would be going out with her best friend, apprehension and joy had gone hand in hand in Angela Rizzoli. She wasn't apprehensive because her daughter was going out with another woman, though, she was apprehensive because if Jane somehow screwed this up she might lose her best friend. And Angela liked having Maura around her daughter, the two of them were good for and with each other. Maura was part of the family and, well, Jane didn't have the best of track records with any kind of date but the worst one with the first.

She heard Maura's footsteps coming from her bedroom and hastily opened the book she got from one of the shelves in the guest house. She turned it around quickly because she had stood it on its head and pretended to read. Maura, meanwhile, stepped into her living room, she seemed nervous but she looked gorgeous.

"Oh, Maura..." Angela said and the blonde turned toward her with a questioning gaze. The older woman caught herself, there was no reason to coo over Maura's appearance if she didn't even know that Maura would be going out, not to mention not knowing that she was going out with her very own daughter. "You look lovely. I didn't know you were going out."

"Well, thank you. I... yes, I'm meeting... Susie, my assistant Susie for drinks. You know just two colleagues having a friendly drink together." Maura hadn't planned on any kind of explanation for mama Rizzoli and was improvising. As far as the medical examiner knew, Angela had just come home. Usually she would watch some tv to wind down from her long day at the café, not lounging on Maura's couch reading - Maura looked at the book in Angela's hands - Foucault.

"That's so nice," Angela exclaimed. "Susie seems a nice young woman, she comes into the café every morning, she's a soy latte." Maura smiled, then she pointed at the book in Angela's hands.

"I didn't know you were interested in Foucault."

"Oh, yes, he's very interesting, very fascinating." Maura nodded and wondered if she should test how far this fascination went. She had an inkling that Angela was sitting on her couch with one of her books for a reason. Could she know that she and Jane were going out? But how could she? They had been so careful with the planning of this date, very secretive secret agent stuff. They didn't even dare texting each other about it, in case someone just picked up one of the phones and read one of their messages. Still, it was a little strange.

"That he is." Maura smiled, then she went over to the mirror that hung next to her front door. She rechecked her appearance, feeling the nervousness fluttering in her chest. She was going out with Jane, Jane knew her, she didn't have to play pretend with her, that was good. But Jane knew her so well, would they even find something to talk about? Would they be able to connect on a level that wasn't friendship? But they already had, hadn't they? Yes, most definitely. Maura's nerves calmed down a little, she could still feel the butterflies but they remained in her stomach and didn't make her panicky anymore. This was good.

Maura took a few deep breaths and Angela found it very endearing that she was nervous about this date. She certainly meant to impress Jane with that new dress, tight burgundy with a generous neckline.

"That's a really nice dress you're wearing. I haven't seen that on you yet, have I?" Angela asked and Maura turned towards her.

"No, it's a new dress. You really like it? It's not too... open hearted is it?" Maura made a gesture at her cleavage.

"That depends on what you were planning for the rest of the evening, Maura," Angela answered truthfully. Maura looked at her questioningly. "It seems a little bit much if you were just planning on having drinks with a colleague. Unless, of course, you are planning on... making a conquest tonight, or several." Angela answered casually.

Maura looked back into the mirror. Too much? She wondered. But then she knew that Jane liked her... assets. She had seen the dark-haired beauty ogling her, and this dress certainly made for nice cleavage.

"Well, I wasn't planning to make any... conquests," she said as she turned back to Angela. "I'm just meeting with Susie, for drinks." She realized that she had already said that and gave Angela a little embarrassed smile.

"I predict that you two won't be by yourselves for very long," Angela showed her own dimples, she could hardly contain her laughter. Maura was just adorable, and so classy, and if Jane screwed this up she was going to kick her daughter's butt.

They heard someone honking outside and for a horrified second Angela thought that it would be Jane.

"That's my taxi. I guess, it's too late to change now."

"I don't think there's need for that, you look really wonderful tonight, Maura." The medical examiner beamed at the compliment.

"Thank you, Angela. And enjoy your book." She waved at Jane's mother as she left the house.

"Have a nice evening, Maura," Angela called after her daughter's date and watched through the window as Maura left.

"Now for you, Jane Clementine Rizzoli," Angela reached over to the coffee table where her phone was lying.

* * *

"Rizzoli." Jane hadn't bothered to look at the phone before picking up but a second later wished she had. Her mother's voice came from the other end of the line and she rolled her eyes.

"Hello, Jane," her mother sounded quite happy, or more to the point, pleased.

"Hey, mom, is something wrong?"

"No, nothing's wrong. Why would anything be wrong, Jane?"

"Well, I don't know, ma, because you know that I have a date tonight and you're calling me - possibly in the middle of it," Jane's voice sounded annoyed, as it so often did. Angela hadn't thought about that. For all she knew, Jane could already be in the middle of her date. She bid her lip.

"Are you - in the middle of your date yet? I thought it was still early and maybe you weren't with him yet..."

"No, I'm on my way to the restaurant now... hey, watch it, scumbag!" Another car had cut her and she rammed the heel of her hand on her horn. "Son of a...," she caught herself.

"Jane, that's not very lady-like," her mother scolded.

"Yeah, well, with the way people drive in Boston, you can either be a lady or dead," Jane gave back. She hated driving in her hometown. While Bostonians were always in a hurry, the majority of tourists never was. Which would make the guy behind her a native because he was honking for her to move.

"Oh, yeah? You are lucky I have a date or I would cuff you to my bumper and bring you into the station, moron."

"Jane, really," she heard her mother again and the dark-haired woman rolled her eyes.

"Was there something you wanted, ma?" She asked deviding her attention once again between her mother on speaker and Boston traffic.

"I just... what are you wearing, Jane?"

"What... what am I wearing, ma? I... a dress! What else would I be wearing?" Jane barked at the phone, did her mother really think she was a social incompetent?

"Which dress?" Angela continued her line of questioning.

"A... a new one," came the befuddled answer.

"Really?" Angela once again had to restrain herself to keep from awwwing at the sweetness of this whole date. It was better than she had hoped it would be.

"Yes, mom. I went shopping, got myself a dress and..."

"What color?" Her mother interrupted which earned her another unseen eye-roll.

"It's blue, and I bought shoes to match," Jane actually smiled for a moment. It was a very nice dress, long flowing, it showed off her slim figure and it still looked good with her new haircut.

"That's wonderful, darling. You know, Maura just left and she had on this... it was actually a new dress, too," she informed her daughter.

"Really?" Now that peeked Jane's interest. "How did it look?" She couldn't contain her curiosity.

"Well, you know Maura, she has such good taste in clothing. Though this one... well, it's still classy but it's also quite... open-hearted, if you know what I mean." Jane knew exactly what her mother meant and grinned rakishly at the information.

"She sure knows how to fill a dress," she didn't catch herself saying and then blushed furiously. But her mother seemed unfazed:

"That she does, though she never seems to be aware what kind of effect that might have on men. She's such a sweetheart, Jane." Jane wheeled her car into a parking lot and turned off the engine, she was smiling at the praising words of her mother for her... friend, date, prospective girlfriend. These thoughts gave way again to nerves. Jane had never before gone out with a woman, she didn't know if she would be any good at it. But then, this was Maura. She wasn't just any woman, she was her best friend and she trusted her.

Jane closed her eyes for a moment, steadying her breathing. She was about to go on a date with Dr. Maura Isles, her friend Maura. She could do this.

"Mom, I'm at the restaurant, I need to go."

"Alright, honey... I..." Angela was at a loss for words. She so wanted to tell Jane that it was all going to be okay, that Maura was right for her and that she and everybody she knew was cheering for the two of them. But she couldn't, not yet. "Have fun tonight, Jane. Just be yourself."

"Be myself, mom?"

"Yes, of course, Jane. You are a wonderful person, you don't have to hide that." Jane looked bewildered for a moment, then her expression softened and she smiled happily.

"Thank you, ma. Good night."

"Good night, Janey. I love you." Jane felt a surge of emotions at the words. Of course, she knew that her mother loved her, Angela Rizzoli was a firece mother, protective, critical, yes, but always there for any of her children who needed her. For most of her life, though, it had been her brothers who needed her most, not Jane. But now, with all that was happening between her and Maura... she needed her mom to understand and still love her. Deep down inside she knew her mother would and her words now seemed to confirm it, even though she couldn't have any idea what the words meant at this precise moment.

"I love you, too, ma." She answered and then the line disconnected.


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N: This was actually more difficult to write than the two other chapters. Be warned: there are feelings involved. There'll be one more installment, an epilogue, and then it will be over (so don't look at me with those puppy eyes, 'kay?).**

* * *

Jane was early, she was also nervous. She kept running her fingers over her dress, smoothing it, then they would unconsciously go up to her hair to pull back her long strands of dark hair, but those long strands were gone. She berated herself again for having cut them but the mirror over the bar where she was sitting now, showed her those high cheekbones that Maura had praised and she smiled at her mirror image. Maura liked the new 'do,' so she did too.

Maura was right on time and when Jane looked at her, it literally took her breath away. Maura was... a vision. Her new dress hugged her in all the right places and was indeed rather revealing - but it was all in good taste as this was Maura Isles. Her hair lay in thick waves around her cherubic face, she was simply perfect.

"I've been such an idiot," Jane mumbled to herself as Maura made her way over to her, her dimples showing but also a tad nervousness. This wasn't easily detected but Jane knew Maura well enough to know and it calmed her own frazzled nerves a little to know that Maura was excited about this, too.

"You look gorgeous," Maura took one of Jane's hands and kissed her on the cheek in greeting. It was over so fast that Jane hardly realized how enticing Maura smelled or how the simple touch of lips against cheek made her breath hitch.

"You're stunning, Maur," Jane breathed. They looked at each other for just a moment, intently, then laughed. This situation was decidedly unaccumstomed but not weird or uncomfortable, they knew each other far too well to ever be uncomfortable in each other's presence.

"Do you want to have a drink before dinner?" Jane asked.

"No, thank you. I haven't been able to eat much today and my bloodsugar is rather low. I think we should eat," Maura revealed and Jane was thankful because food hadn't been on her mind either and she was actually a little hungry now.

* * *

When Jane and Maura had talked about going on their first date, they had promised each other that they wouldn't talk about work. Since they weren't working on an open case at the moment, this wasn't a big issue. They found other things, as they always did. They chatted like the friends they were and Jane wondered if she wasn't all together too comfortable with Maura to actually call this a date. They had gone out before, many times in fact, even on double-dates. Why should this feel any different than all the other times they had sat down to dinner?

'Because it's an actual date. You had her know that you were attracted to her, you asked her out; hence: official date,' Jane told herself. She nodded.

"You actually agree with this?" Maura asked surprised.

"With... what? Sorry, Maura, I..." Jane blushed. She hadn't paid attention to what Maura was saying.

"What is it, Jane?" Maura reached over the table and took her friend's hand. She looked concerned.

"Is this... Is this really a date? Or are we still... just friends who... I don't know," Jane seemed confused, worried about this whole evening and where it was headed - or where it would never head if she didn't sort some things out in her mind. Maura had wondered if this whole situation was going to cause some inner turmoil in her friend. It was one thing to admit to an attraction and wanting to pursue it, quite another to know how to do it.

Maura looked around, giving herself a moment to think how to approach this then she got up from her chair. She pulled it around to Jane's side and sat down again, now very close. She took Jane's hand between her own and placed a light kiss on her knuckles. She smiled.

"This is a date, Jane. The fact that it's not terribly awkward and stilted doesn't make it less of one. Since you invited me, you will still be paying the bill," Maura smiled and Jane actually laughed at this, "and there's going to be a moment, later in the evening, when we will look at each other and acknowledge to ourselves that we would like to kiss each other, not knowing if the other one feels the same way. I know this is new to you, I haven't been out with a woman for some time now but... I'm glad you asked me out. I'm actually happy about it because..." Another kiss to Jane's hand. "... I'm very attracted to you and I don't think I could have ignored it much longer. Things would have happened, Jane, and I'm much happier with the way they're happening now. With both of us in it and aware of what's going on."

Maura smiled again, looking into chocolate brown eyes that plainly showed the detective's vulnarability. But they also showed that Jane was okay, that whatever was happening between them wouldn't swamp her.

"Thank you," Jane said and Maura nodded. They smiled at each other and this time it was Jane who leaned over and kissed Maura's hand. It was very sweet and rather gallant the way she did it. Maura got up to resume her former position across from Jane but then leaned down to whisper:

"And just for the record,..." Jane was hit by the delicious smell of Maura's perfume again and her friend's position of leaning over her afforded her a perfect view of Maura's cleavage. The detective swallowed hard at nothing but air. "... I would really like to kiss you later. Whenever you're ready." Maura smiled at Jane again, showed her perfect dimples, she was so wonderfully sweet and incredibly sexy at the same time. It was almost too much but it also confirmed that they were more than friends at this point and that this was indeed a date. Jane smiled. This was going to get messy, there were going to be feelings involved and other things she didn't dare thnking about just yet. This was indeed real.

* * *

They talked some more, they flirted, too. But they didn't play roles for each other, Jane would still roll her eyes at a "fun fact" of Maura's, Maura would still point out any mistaken preposition Jane would allude to and refer to statistical evidence. But everything they talked about was accompanied by looks, by touches, by smiles that said so much more about them and their feeling for each other. There was a new dimension to their relationship, it allowed Jane to let her eyes linger on Maura's beauty, it allowed Maura to stare at Jane's strong hands and hold them in her own. As the evening drew to a close, they shared a traditional dessert of apple pie and vanilla ice cream.

As they left the restaurant, Jane reached out her hand and casually took Maura's. The blonde smiled and intertwined their fingers.

"That is a very nice restaurant, how did you find it?" Maura asked.

"Frost recommended it," Jane answered as they strolled over to her car.

"You asked him to recommend a restaurant for tonight?"

"No, he... kind of volunteered the information and I just stored it away," the detective said.

* * *

Neither woman saw the dark vintage mustang standing on the other side of the street. If Jane had noticed the car she would have recognized it immediately because it was her brother Frankie's. He was sitting inside with her partner, Barry Frost, and they were watching the women.

"Looks like they had a nice evening," Frankie commented.

"It wasn't likely that they wouldn't, though, was it? I mean, they are friends."

"Have you ever gone out with your best friend?" Frankie asked as if he was about to lecture Frost on dating friends.

"Most of my friends are guys," was Frost's answer.

"So, have you?" the younger man asked and smiled. Frost answered in kind and shook his head.

"It's complicated, man. If Jane screws this up... well, let's just say that working with them from then on will be a bitch."

"What if Maura 'screws this up'?" The African-American asked. Frankie cocked a comical eyebrow. "Seriously."

"Then Jane will still be whipped." Both men laughed at that. They looked back at Jane and Maura who had now come to stand by Jane's car.

* * *

"Do you want to go somewhere else?"

"Like where?" Jane shrugged her shoulder. She wasn't quite ready to have this evening end but she was at a loss of what else to do. Had this not been a date, she would ask Maura to come over to her place where they would watch some tv, maybe an old movie, they would wear comfortable clothes and munch popcorn until they were tired and would just go to bed. But it would probably never be that easy again, 'going to bed' had gotten a new meaning and Jane wasn't quite ready to explore that meaning.

Maura pulled at Jane's hand and brought them closer together.

"Remember what I said earlier at the restaurant - about kissing?" She asked and her hazel eyes looked deeply into Jane's. The detective nodded, and let herself being pulled even closer toward her friend. "I would like to try that now," Maura whispered and Jane nodded again.

"Me too," she managed to say around the rapid beating of her heart and the flutter in her throat. She cupped Maura's cheek and they both smiled as their lips met for the first time, tentatively, sweetly but oh so delicious. The second kiss followed immediately and this time lips lingered, and opened slightly to nip at their counterparts. Maura's arms found their ways around Jane's waist and their bodies molded comfortably together while their lips became ever more daring. Inquisitive tongues joined the game, hands started their own explorations and suddenly there was no air to breathe, just butterflies and desire and want. It overwhelmed them both in its intensity and they simply stood for a moment, hugging, holding onto each other and getting used to the feeling of this person who was new and yet familiar.

As they parted, Maura laughed nervously.

"That was quite the kiss," she whispered.

"That was more than a kiss, Maur." Jane caressed Maura's cheek. The medical examiner nodded.

"Yes, it was. Is it okay?" She asked even though she could see that Jane was indeed okay with this development. She might be new at this but she was no coward who ran from her feelings.

"Yeah, It's all good - and then some." The tall, dark-haired woman grinned and then leaned in for another short but intense kiss.

"You're quite the kisser, Dr. Isles."

"Well, thank you detective, you're not so bad yourself." They giggled.

"I guess, it's time to get you home then." Jane reached around Maura and opened the passenger door for her. Maura slipped inside and Jane closed the door behind her. Then she walked around the car to take her own seat behind the wheel.

* * *

They held hands on the way. Jane steered her car one-handedly through Boston and into Brookline, the suburb where Maura lived. As she parked infront of the house they both watched for lights but the house was dark.

"Seems like ma has already gone to bed," Jane said and then looked expectantly back at her date. She was eager to kiss Maura again and was looking for a sign that her kisses would be welcome. Maura smiled but already opened the car door.

"Walk me to the front door?" she asked but didn't wait for an answer as she exited the car.

Jane got out of her vehicle and went around to take her friend's hand again. They made slow progress to the door, both reluctant now to let the date end. Yet both looking forward to their goodnight kiss.

"This was really nice," Jane said.

"Yes, it was almost perfect," Maura agreed and Jane looked up.

"Almost?" There was a hint of a pout in her question and Maura laughed lightly.

"Yes, almost. But it would be really perfect if you came inside and we could continue... this until morning. I'll make pancakes," Maura promised, her thumb drawing circles over the back of Jane's hand. The tall detective stopped and looked at her.

"I don't think I'm quite there yet, Maura. I know that you are very open about... sex and that you enjoy it even without feelings or love or... I..."  
"Jane." Maura cupped Janes cheek. "It's okay. I would really like to continue this tonight but if you're not ready, you're not ready. I won't talk you into anything, okay?" Jane nodded.

"Can I still kiss you some more?" The dark-haired woman asked and the medical examiner very willingly pulled Jane to her. They kissed with passion.

* * *

Angela Rizzoli hadn't planned to fall asleep on the couch but after she had ended her phone call with her daughter early this evening she hadn't found anything to do but starting to read that book she had pulled from Maura's shelf. _The History of Sexuality_ turned out to be too much history and not enough sexuality and Angela put it aside and picked up a magazine instead. That soon slipped from her fingers as her eyes slid closed and she fell asleep on Maura's couch.

She woke when a car pulled up infront of the house; it was Jane's car, Angela assured herself by placing herself behind the curtains.

"Damn," Angela cursed but she was too curious as to how the date had gone to leave her place at the window just yet. She watched the women get out of the car and link hands as they walked towards the front door. Angela smiled, it looked promising. And that promise was fulfilled when Maura leaned into Jane and they started kissing. Angela watched them for a moment, then she blushed a bright red and stepped away from the curtains.

"Some things I just don't need to see," she mumbled and then left Maura's house through the side door to get to her own dwelling in the back yard.

* * *

They stood in each other's arms trying to return to their normal breathing.

"Jane?"

"Hm?" Maura looked up at her friend, her arms still around her slim waist. Jane looked down, smiling.

"When are we going to tell your family?" Jane's expression sobered.

"Buzz kill," she complimented Maura's lack of timing. The M.E. pursed her lips in scolding.

"Do you want to keep it a secret?" She asked.

"No, I... I don't know," Jane thought about what she wanted to do. She wanted to share this with her family, she really did, but she feared that they would either be too shocked, too disappointed, or too enthusiastic and she didn't know whether she could live with either reaction.

"Let's tell them tomorrow," Maura suggested. She was so trusting that this was going to be alright, how could Jane tell her that sometimes people disappointed you? Even if those people were the Rizzoli family.

"You sure?"

"Jane, the longer we keep this a secret, the longer it will take your mother to forgive you for not saying anything," the blonde reasoned and she was right with that assessment at least.

"You're right."

"So, we're going to tell them tomorrow?" Maura was excited and Jane nodded. It earned her another long kiss and a tight hug.

"I'll come over for breakfast," the detective promised.

"You could always stay," Maura repeated her earlier invitation. This time Jane wasn't flustered, she simply smiled but shook her head.

"Another time, soon," she promised. Once again she leaned down to her friend who was quickly turning into her girlfriend and their lips began their last dance of the evening. It was a lengthy one with tongues and hands deliberately joining the rhythm of their hearts beating.


	4. Chapter 4

**A/N: Okay, this is the last one. I want to say that I enjoyed this a lot and am really happy about all the encouragement. This fandom is awesome - still, this is the last one for this story. I may be back with other stuff, though. And another warning: this is nothing but fluff!**

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Epilogue

When Maura entered her kitchen the next morning, she found Angela already in her living room. She was obviously busy putting things back in order from last night. She had the Foucault in her hand and the medical examiner grinned.

"Morning," she greeted the older woman and went to a cupboard to retrieve her favorite mug - the one that said: 'Best Medical Examiner in the World', a present from Jane. It never failed to make her smile.

"Oh, good morning, Maura. I didn't think you would be up quite this early. Did you have a nice night out?" And here was another thing that made her smile: remembering last night.

"It was a very nice evening," Maura said. She poured herself some coffee and sipped it happily. It was her favorite flavor, the one she knew Jane also preferred. It would have been nice if they... but they would do it, some morning in the future, Jane had promised. More smiling and Angela came curiously to the kitchen island. She watched the beautiful doctor who seemed in a particularly good mood this morning. There was no sight of her daughter, though, and Angela assumed she had not spent the night - even with all the kissing that had been going on the evening before.

"That's nice," Angela said in answer to Maura's earlier words.

"Did you make headway with Foucault then?" The medical examiner pointed at the book that Angela was still holding in her hands. The older woman made a face.

"To be honest, it wasn't as fascinating as I at first thought. He just rambles on about strange happenings in the middle ages or something. He lost me at some point." Maura raised an eyebrow at the assessment but what really surprised her was that Angela had actually read some pages. She didn't thnk Angela was stupid but she wasn't a declared intellectual and Maura had never before seen her reading a book. She smiled now.

"It's really what I like about him, he has a delightful sense for the specific," Maura said and sipped from her mug. "Would you like some coffee?"

"Is it the one with hazelnut?" Angela asked and smiled. Maura nodded and Angela accepted the invitation.

"I wonder how Jane's date has gone," the older woman said aloud a few minutes later. She noted Maura's smile and also a slight blush that accompanied it.

"She'll probably be in later and tell us about it," she mumbled. Maura hated to lie to people, especially people she liked. And then there was the fact that she wasn't very good at it either.

"Not if she took the guy home," Angela said and Maura raised her head.

"That's not really like Jane," she answered.

"Depends on the man," Angela continued teasing her daughter's friend. "Well, speaking of the devil," she announced a moment later as she saw Jane through the window make her way to the front door. Maura hadn't even turned when the doorbell rang but she hurried to the door a moment later.

The sight that greeted her made her smile so much an attentive observer would have thought her face might split: Jane, her short hair now curly and still damp from her shower, in jeans and tank top, with a bag from Maura's favorite bakery in her hand.

"Morning," the medical examiner said and was suddenly very aware that she was still only clad in her very short nighty and open robe. Jane's eyes raked over her body and both relived some of last night's excitement.

"Morning," Jane answered with a sexy half-grin on her lips. She wanted to lean in for a first kiss but Maura stepped aside and instead opened the door wide.

"It's Jane," she said to Angela who Jane hadn't seen yet. "And she brought... croissants?" Her voice was hopeful, her eyes beseeching and Jane felt herself swallow at the combined sexiness. Would everything Maura did and say have an inuendo from now on? God, Jane hoped so. These feelings that she was having lately were all over the place and they were all good - except for some insecurities but she would live with those if only the butterflies stayed.

Jane stepped into the house and handed Maura the bag which contained all her favorites. She had gone a little overboard but as she saw that her mother was there, too, they would all have something for breakfast.

"Morning ma," she greeted her mother with a smile and walked over to give her a hug AND a kiss on the cheek.

"My, someone's in a good mood this morning. I take it your date has been pleasant?" Jane walked back to the other side of the counter where Maura put Jane's breakfast choices on a plate.

"Hmmm, I smell my favorite hazelnut-flavored coffee," the detective grinned and then went to pour herself a cup. "Actually, ma, it was the best date I ever had." This earned her a sly smile from mentioned date. Her mother looked on happily. Her two favorite women could barely keep their eyes off each other, or their hands to themselves. Angela observed how her daughter's hand went to the small of Maura's back when she came to stand next to her again.

"That's so nice, Janey," Angela answered. "Will I meet him at some point?"

Jane looked at Maura who raised an eyebrow at her friend.

"Actually, ma..." Jane turned back to her mother and just caught the knowing smile she had on her lips. She tried to hide it behind her coffee mug but there was no mistaking what it indicated. "You know," Jane accused and the smile faded.

"Know what, Jane?" But the innocence-card wasn't very convincingly played and even Maura narrowed her eyes at her now.

"You know that... that I went out with Maura," Jane came clean and Angela's smile that followed the announcement was confession enough even without her accompanying words:

"Of course, I know," she said. "Everybody in the precinct knows. You two have made lovey-dovey eyes and cooing noises over each other for almost a year now. It was impossible to overlook," she declared and the two women looked wide-eyes at her explanation.

"We did NOT make... any of that!" Jane defended, her hands running circles between her and Maura. Angela just smiled. "And what do you mean with everybody knows? Does Frankie know?" Angela nodded.

"And detectives Frost and Korsak, Maura's assistant Susie, and that nice young man who brings in the bodies, Alex. Even Stanley commented on it just last week. Oh, and lieutenant Cavanaugh."

"The lieutenant knows? Ma, have you told all these people?" Jane was angry but Angela didn't see how she was to be blamed for anything.

"I didn't tell anyone, Jane. I didn't have to. You two are like those two from that cop show, with the writer and the homocide detective, everybody knows they're into each other."

"Oh, Castle," Maura jumped in helpfully and Angela nodded. "They're really obvious," Maura informed Jane and got one of those looks that said 'not helpful' in return.

"And the lieutenant was the one who told me you were going out," Angela informed Jane in an afterthought. This left the detective wide-eyes yet again.

"Cavanaugh told YOU. Who told HIM?" She wanted to know.

"Janey," Angela said soothingly. "this may come as a surprise to you but you're not the most subtle person when you've got feelings for someone. Before you asked Maura out you were running through the precinct like a headless chicken, barking at anyone who would look at you. Barry told me that whenever you were down in the morgue you would blush like a school girl when Maura flirted with you over a dead body. And the day you finally asked her out, the lieutenant told me, you went downstairs like every five minutes, making up excuses until you finally worked up the nerve sometime in the afternoon. That was the moment everyone relaxed and could start working with you again." Jane was dumb-founded. Was she really that obvious? She looked at Maura who smiled.

"Did... did you know?" She asked with a little pout.

"Well, I knew that you were going to ask me out at some point. Or rather, I knew that that was where your mind was headed. I didn't know that everybody else knew as well," Maura answered truthfully. "You're really not very good at hiding your feelings, Jane," but it was said with an adoring smile and Jane relaxed a litte. Maura laid a hand on hers that lay on the kitchen counter. "I like that about you," she added and it made Jane smile.

Then the detective looked up at her mother.

"And how do you feel about this?" She asked a little unsure.

"Do you have to ask, honey?" Angela came over from the other side of the counter. "Janey, I'm so proud of you. How could I not? You are a wonderful person, strong, independent but also caring. You are a great detective and you're helping people with your job every day. And now you're dating a doctor." All three women laughed but Jane's eyes filled with tears. "I love you, Janey, and that will never change." She hugged her daughter and for once Jane didn't squirm or complain but accepted it, stepped into it willingly and lost herself in her mother's embrace.

When they parted, Angela looked at Maura who was in turn looking at Jane admiringly.

"Maura," she adressed the blonde and the medical examiner looked at her. "Come over here," it was a mother's stern voice that adressed her and Maura stood her mug on the counter and went by Jane to her side so that she was also facing Angela Rizzoli.

"You know that I already consider you as one of the family," Angela said and Maura nodded, smiling. "Good. I really like you. You are a good friend to Jane and I hope that you will be an even better girlfriend. Please try not to hurt my baby, okay?" Jane rolled her eyes at her mother's sentimentality. But there was also a smile on her lips over the acceptance the older Rizzoli showed.

"I would never intentionally do that, Angela," Maura vowed and received her own hug from the matriarch. Even before Angela let go of her again, Maura reached behind her and Jane took her hand between both of hers.

"Good," Angela wiped at the tears in her eyes. "I think it's time you kissed your girlfriend good morning. I will go put this book back and get ready. And call the boys, Jane, we're gonna have a family day and you can tell them that you're dating Maura. Have Tommy bring Lydia and T.J., too." Angela commanded and was on her way out the door.

"I thought they already knew," Jane protested. She had hoped to spend the day with Maura, alone with Maura but her mother obviously had other ideas.

"Just because they know doesn't mean you don't have to tell them, Jane," her mother informed her and left Maura's living room.

"What do you know," Jane said more to herself than anyone else. She heard Maura laughing beside her and turned to her. "Good morning," she said and was finally able to lean in for a proper kiss. It took several minutes for their lips to get reacquainted and the time was happily given.

"Good morning," Maura breathed when they parted.

"Seems we have a family day ahead of us," Jane surmised. She put her forehead to Maura's.

"Do you mind?" Her girlfriend asked.

"No, I get to spend my day with my two favorite people - you and T.J.," Jane grinned and Maura laughed lightly.

"And I get to spend my day with you and your family," this seemed to make Maura inordinately happy.

"Our family," Jane corrected which earned her an even happier smile from the petite blonde. And then they resumed kissing.


End file.
